Phoebe Prince’s South Hadley school votes on anti-bully plan

As part of implementing the Massachusetts anti-bullying law South Hadley High School has voted on their new bullying prevention plan as the anniversary of Phoebe Prince suicide looms in the near future.

South Hadley’s School Committee voted on the third draft of the Bully Prevention Plan on Wednesday evening. All schools in Massachusetts have until December 31 to finalize and submit these plans.

A local news station, 22News, received a copy of the plan set out by Phoebe Prince’s school. Here’s a brief summary of what’s included:

- They plan to attempt to prevent bullying through student, parent, teacher and community education.
- When bullying occurs it can be reported anonymously or online.
- Disciplinary actions can range from written warnings to expulsion.

Vice Principal at South Hadley, Bill Evans, told 22 News “Usually the cyber piece is one part of a large piece. So if there's a pattern of abusive behavior or intimidating behavior and the online stuff is a part of that pattern, we can pull it all together and say you've done this, this, and that, and that's part of it as well."

Evans also pointed out that if bullying is taking place online the school’s hands are tied. He said that all the school can do is inform the parents and have a sit down conversation with all the parties involved.